GHOST's TOBIAS FORGE Admits 'Rite Here Rite Now' Is 'Kind Of A Goofy Film', But Hopes People Will Think It's 'Great'

At the world premiere of GHOST's debut film, "Rite Here Rite Now", on June 18 at London, United Kingdom's Picturehouse Central, GHOST leader Tobias Forge spoke to The Upcoming about his expectations for the movie. He said (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I hope that people are happy with what they're seeing and not perplexed or disgusted. There are elements in this film that might come off as, I guess, unorthodox if you're super traditional. And I'm not making that as traditional as in 50 years ago or 60 years ago, like old school that way. I really set out to make like an unreal fictional live concert film that was gonna be unlike anything else you've ever seen. That doesn't mean that it's better than anything you've ever seen, but it is not gonna be reminiscent of exactly something else that you've seen previously before seeing this, and I think I've done that. But that is one thing. Another thing is to see… Obviously, people are excited, but we just know that people are excited about seeing the film that they still have not seen. So, right now I just want all these people who have believed in the film coming out [of the theaters] and saying, 'It was better than I thought.' That would be amazing."

Referencing the fact that "Rite Here Rite Now" contains a narrative that picks up plot threads from GHOST's long-running webisode series, Tobias said: "Had people reacted poorly to the episodes once we started doing them, of course, we might not be standing here today, or we might have looked at a completely different film. I don't know. But people have been engaging throughout the years that we've been telling these episodal stories, and that has become part of, what I guess, uh, a lot of fans think is, is like the totality of GHOST. Obviously there are a lot of people who like a song or two, or like our music, but [don't] give a toss about the story or the lore and have never really gone into that. So, of course, there's a duality between those who are in the know and those who are not. And those who have never heard about this and would expect just a normal show, a lot of this might come complete news and complete weirdo territory. There you go. You can't please everyone, so if people think it's wack… It's kind of a goofy film, so that's correct. But, of course, you want as many [people] as possible to think it's a great wack. [Laughs]"

In a separate chat with Rock Sound, Tobias said about the making of the movie: "As any semi-gargantuan task, as fun as it is, it's also draining. I'm used to working towards deadlines, but filmmaking is definitely a lot… You can release records into the society and people will buy it or not, whereas tickets you have to sell too, but cinemas are a little bit like venues. So you can't just release a film or move it like a week. If you don't deliver on time, it would be delayed, like, months. So we've been sort of zoning in on this date, basically today, for the last nine months. So it feels like a giant relief because at points during the making of the film, there was definitely a sense of urgency, especially for everyone who had to answer to someone, which I guess I had to too, but I also understood the urgency of things having to be delivered on time. But now we're finally here, against all odds."

Director Alex Ross Perry stated about working with Forge and GHOST: "I am a fan. I was first and foremost a fan. If anything keeps me humble and honest about working with him several times on various different projects, I'm just happy to be there. I'm not there to make a name for myself or build up my resume as a great rock/metal filmmaker, get other jobs. It's really just, I'm a fan. If I can be of service here, I am ready to be of service. I think that's a good attitude to bring to something that there's room for a lot of other voices and a lot of collaboration, but you don't need two bosses in that. You just need one boss, and then someone who's happy to be there. It's just about translating what he wants, because what he wants is vast, visual, creative but not always practical or possible. He's the first one to admit that, and he knows that. So it's never, 'Here's what I want. Do it.' It's, 'Here's what I want,' and then me saying, 'Well, here's a version of that we can do. If we had all the time and money in the world, we could do exactly what you just said, but we don't.' And I'm here to say, 'Well, if we did it this way, is that good enough? Is that basically correct?' And, 'Yeah, yeah, we can do that.' And then sometimes there's ideas that were in place from our first conversation, moments that never changed, and then there's things in the movie that we thought of five minutes before we started filming, or I thought of 20 minutes before we started filming and said, 'Something like this?' 'Yeah, let's do that. Let's try that this time.' So it's just being there to sort of be open and say, 'Tell me exactly what you want and tell me where there's room to be flexible.' If you had an ego about it, that would be very difficult, but I'm just happy to help out."

Directed by Forge and Perry ("Her Smell"),"Rite Here Rite Now" combines never-before-seen 2023 concert footage of GHOST with a narrative story that picks up plot threads from the band's long-running "Chapters" series.

Shot over the course of GHOST's two sold-out shows at Los Angeles's hallowed Kia Forum, "Rite Here Rite Now" fully immerses viewers in the technicolor melodrama of the vaunted live ritual that has helped to propel Sweden's foremost theatrical rock export to Grammy-winning, chart-topping, arena-headlining status the world over.

"Rite Here Rite Now" is, however, so much more than a concert movie. GHOST's debut feature film combines live performance from the two-night finale of the band's "Re-Imperatour" U.S.A. 2023 with a narrative story that picks up plot threads from the band's long-running "Chapters" series. The result is an utterly unique phantasmagorical blend: Flesh and bone renditions of favorites from all five of GHOST's albums as well as the RIAA platinum-certified "Mary On A Cross" and more are interwoven with the silver screen debuts of a few faces familiar to the band's legions of fans — all interacting behind the scenes with GHOST's Papa Emeritus IV, as his future and fate lay in the hands of the Ministry.

Whether you're a devoted disciple looking to relive treasured memories of the GHOST live spectacle or among the curious uninitiated, "Rite Here Rite Now" will put you right there: putting your phones down and living in the moment — as a shadow of uncertainty looms — completely spellbound and in the thrall of this bombastic yet intimate cinematic portrait of GHOST.

The original motion picture soundtrack to "Rite Here Rite Now" will be released on July 26 via Loma Vista Recordings. A fitting 18-song complement to GHOST's debut feature film, the band's first-ever original soundtrack will be available on all formats (digital, CD, 2xLP). Pre-orders are live now, and include the soundtrack's live version of "Absolution", captured at that now-legendary two-night stand at the Forum, as an instant grat track available on YouTube.

"Rite Here Rite Now" is produced by Popecorn Cinematic Pictures. Producers include Kristen Mulderig, Rick Sales, Craig Butta and Jonas Åkerlund.

Last October, Forge confirmed that footage from the band's September 2023 two shows at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California would be used as part of the film.

"When I first started putting it together, I was, like, 'Oh my god, I'm going to faint because there's so much to think about,'" Forge told Metal Hammer magazine. "Then it was, like, 'No, no, just don't think about it at all.'"

Both GHOST shows at the Forum were device-free experiences. Use of phones and smart watches was not permitted in the performance space. Upon arrival at the venue, devices were secured in individual Yondr pouches that were opened at the end of the event.

"I have never seen a crowd interact the way that they did since I was in a club band," Forge said. "They were the best shows I've ever done with GHOST, just because I didn't have to see those fucking mobile phones."

Tobias was also asked if the GHOST film will be similar to METALLICA's "Through The Never", which starred members of the iconic rock band and Dane DeHaan ("Chronicle", "The Amazing Spider-Man 2"). DeHaan played a young band crew member who is sent out on an urgent mission while the band is playing a rousing live set in front of a sold-out crowd and unexpectedly finds his world turned completely upside down. Forge replied: "In the sense that it's a concert with something else combined."

At the Forum shows, GHOST performed the song "Twenties" live for the very first time live. They also played their cover of Roky Erikson's "If You Have Ghosts", which was originally reimagined by GHOST for their 2013 EP "If You Have Ghost". The band's version of the track at the Forum featured two cellists with a piano playing, and it was performed on a separate stage from the rest of the set.